As Sweet As Can Be
by SirAvery
Summary: Amie Bucket tries not to let anything get her down, even though she works long hours to help provide for her four bed-ridden grandparents and younger brother. When Charlie finds a Golden Ticket, he isn't the only one to catch a lucky break, because when Amie meets a certain charming chocolate maker, her world gets turned upside-down. WW/OC (Wilder)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory**

* * *

"Charlie's late," Grandma Josephine noted, her slightly worried tone rousing me from my doze. I blinked open my eyes, letting out a yawn. As Grandpa Joe went off into a tirade about how much Charlie works, I stood up from my uncomfortable wooden chair and stretched, feeling the muscles in my back pop. Silently, I began to help my mother with the preparation of the cabbage water.

"If only their father were still alive," Grandma Josephine said wistfully. I paused, seeing images of mine and Charlie's father flit across my mind. I could practically see his bright smile. He was always optimisitic, no matter what happened. I missed him dearly.

I returned to the conversation in time to hear Grandpa Joe mutter something about the 'floor being too cold'. A fond smile worked its way onto my face at the sight of Grandpa Joe's disgruntled face. As he looked up from his cabbage water, he caught sight of my grin. "Here's another one that works too hard!" He turned to my mother, who was flitting around the room. "Amie works long hours when she should be in college. She could have graduated by now!"

"You know why I couldn't go to college," I said, trying to placate him. The familiar feeling of despair slowly washed over me at the thought of my abandoned dreams. "Besides, I don't mind working two jobs. It helps pay for things that we need."

"You could have kept up with music," Grandpa Joe persisted. "Or maybe became a writer! A philosopher! A scientist!"

"Dad," my mother said warningly.

"It's fine, Mum," I assured her. I looked at my grandfather with a teasing look. "Perhaps I could have even been a candy maker."

"You certainly like sweets enough," Grandma Josephine said, a grin on her face as she continued with her knitting.

The door to the shack opened, and the smiling face of my younger brother appeared. "Hi, everybody!"

"Wake up! Wake up!" Grandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine immediately started to shake my other set of grandparents awake. "Charlie's home!"

Charlie grabbed me in a hug, planting a kiss on my cheek before going to greet our grandparents. I spooned some cabbage water into a bowl for myself before grabbing a spoon. Pay had been thin for me as well as my mother, and the last bit that I had went into the rent of the house. That meant cabbage water for the time being, but I didn't mind. I had a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and family by my side.

"Is this your supper, Grandpa?" Charlie asked, peering into the bowl of cabbage water.

"Well, it's yours too, Charlie," Grandpa Joe replied.

"I'm fed up with cabbage water. It's not enough!" Charlie said loudly, his hands in his pockets.

I froze at hearing his words. Guilt swept through me. _I've been doing my best at the jobs. My pay is just lower than the other workers because I'm younger and female. Should I be working longer hours? I could, I guess, but-_

"How about this?" My brother's eyes twinkling, he pulled a loaf of bread out his bag. My eyes went wide, and a gasp escaped me. After eating nothing but cabbage water for a while, the loaf of bread looked absolutely fantastic.

"Charlie, where did you get that?" Mum asked worriedly.

"What difference does it make where he got it?" Grandpa Joe interjected. "The point is, he got it!"

"It's my first payday," Charlie reminded everyone as our mother came forward to take the loaf of bread from him.

"Good for you, Charlie," she said, a huge smile on her face. "We'll have a real banquet."

As Charlie called her back to give her the rest of the money, I took the bread from her and began to cut slices for everyone to have with their cabbage water. I rummaged around in the cupboards, hoping to come up with something else to go with it, but nothing else came up.

Sighing, I took my meal and sat back down in my chair, listening to Charlie recount his day to everyone. I looked around at my family, and a content feeling settled in me. Yes, I was probably never going to college to fulfill my dreams. Was I still upset? Yes, but in the end not going was worth it. Worth it to help out my family anyway I could.

Things would turn out alright in the end.

* * *

**A/N**

I've been meaning to write a Wilder Wonka fic for a while, and already have a couple of other chapters written. I hope to try to accomplish developing Amie's character throughout the story, and if anyone ever has any suggestions, feel free to mention them in a review!

I hope you liked the first chapter, and I should have the next chapter up soon.

Please review!

~SirAvery


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.**

* * *

Later that night, I tossed and turned in my sleep, contemplating my situation. My two jobs were leaving me absolutely exhausted, but for some reason I couldn't sleep that night. My job at the florist was much more pleasant than the warehouse job, but the owner was retiring and her son was taking over the business. The entire reason I had a job there was because the owner was getting too old to take care of things. When her son takes over, I would probably not be needed anymore.

Sighing, I sat up from my mattress, swinging my legs over the side. I glanced across the room to where my mother was sleeping soundly. Hearing low voices from the main room, I grabbed a robe and shrugged it on, carefully making my way out of the room.

"Couldn't sleep?" Grandpa Joe whispered as I settled into a chair beside Charlie.

I shook my head. "What are you guys talking about?"

In a hushed voice, Charlie told us about the tinker he saw outside of Wonka's factory. "Just before he left, he said, 'Nobody ever goes in, and nobody ever comes out.'"

"And he was right, Charlie," Grandpa Joe said. "Not since the tragic day that Willy Wonka locked it."

Grandpa Joe had told me this story before, but I was content to sit back and listen to it again as he explained it all to my younger brother. My mind wandered to the chocolate factory and everything that awaited inside. What was Mr. Wonka like? What exactly happened? Wonka bars were my absolute favorite candy, but I rarely had them because we couldn't afford them. I knew that Charlie loved them as well. He also loved hearing about the chocolate maker through any story that our grandparents could tell him. _Hmm_, I thought. _His birthday is coming up soon. I think I know exactly what to get him._

I tuned into the conversation again in time to hear Charlie ask about the workers. "But who? Who are they?"

Grandpa Joe shook his head. "That," he said softly, "is the biggest mystery of them all."

* * *

"Can you imagine?" I asked in disbelief, listening to the newsman recount the story of Willy Wonka and the five golden tickets.

"They're all crazy!" Grandpa Josephine muttered.

"Shh!" Grandpa Joe said. "The man's a genuis! He'll sell a million bars."

The newsman continued, but Charlie turned to look at our grandfather. "Grandpa, do you think I've got a chance to find one?"

"One? I'm counting on you to find all five!" Grandpa Joe replied.

"One's enough for me," Charlie said, grinning in response before turning back to the television. My mind began scrambling, thinking this over. What if... Just what if Charlie found a golden ticket? I began to imagine all the things that he would see inside the chocolate factory. Chocolate upon chocolate, sweets everywhere! It would be heaven on earth for both of us.

I glanced up at the clock and jumped to my feet. "I have to go to work," I said, quickly throwing on my coat and dashing to kiss my mother on the cheek and hugging my younger brother. "I'll see you all later!" I called over my shoulder to the grandparents. I had enough time to hear them call a goodbye back before I was out the door and down the road, hurrying in my step towards the florist.

My pace slowed as I walked by the chocolate factory, taking in all its silent, impsing glory. _Five golden tickets,_ I thought, stopping by the gates and resting my hand on one of the iron poles. _I know that Charlie looks up to this factory as much as I do, maybe even more. He needs something in this world to hope for._

_I hope he finds one._

I took one last look at the silent, unmoving factory before hurrying on my way down the centre of town. The florist shop was just across from the candy shop, where I could see all kinds of delicious Wonka bars advertised in the shop. Shaking my head to get rid of my craving for chocolate, I hurried towards the door of the florist shop and opened it.

The bell tinkled as I stepped into the shop, my senses immediately filled with the aromas of dozens of flowers. "Mrs. Brown?" I called, not seeing her in her regular rocking chair behind the counter.

A figure came out of the back room, but it wasn't who I expected. "You must be Amie Bucket," a young man said. He shared similarities with my boss, and I immediately guessed who it was. "I'm Sam Brown. My grandmother retired yesterday, and she turned the owner rights of the shop over to me."

I could see where this conversation was going, and dread began to pool inside me. Sam continued on, looking at me with discomfort. "I'm sorry, but this is a family establishment, and I'm afraid that we no longer need your services."

My hands began to shake as he went on, telling me that they would give me one last paycheck, and other things. Sam seemed to notice that I was in shock, and a look of sympathy crossed his face, and he abandoned his detached, professional tone. "I'm really sorry that I have to do this. We just can't afford the hired help right now. I wish you luck."

I quietly said a goodbye and left the shop, heading towards home.

I slowed my pace outside Wonka's factory. When I walked by here no less than a half an hour ago, my thoughts were full of the golden tickets that Wonka released. Now, all I could think of was how I was supposed to help care for my family. I usually handled the rent and health needs, while my mother covered all the rest of the expenses. This would cut into a huge part of our budget, and I had no idea where to go from here.

_Perhaps I could get another job?_ I thought dubiously. _I'll start looking around immediately, but I don't know where I could find one. _I swallowed. _I feel like I've let my family down. It's not my fault, but I still feel like it. _

I was home before I knew it, and my mother looked up in alarm as I walked through the door. "Amie! What is it? Why aren't you at work?"

I shook my head mutely, feeling the eyes of my brother and grandparents on me. I took off my coat slowly and put it on its peg, wishing that everyone would stop staring.

"Well," my mother said. "We'll manage."

For some reason, I wanted to burst into tears.

* * *

**A/N**

Hello, and welcome back to the second chapter! Thank you to my two reviewers, **Dresupi** and **suburbantimewaster**. I'm glad to see that you like it so far! Also, thank you to everyone that favorited/followed my story.

College workload is starting to get a bit crazier, so I'll try to put the next chapter up as soon as I can.

Until next time!

~SirAvery


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.**

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Charlie!" my family and I chorused as my younger brother's face lit up. My mother came forward with a wrapped package that held the scarf that she and my grandmothers had labored over every time Charlie left the house.

"Here you are, Charlie," she said.

"Thank you," he said, ripping the paper off. "It's terrific," he said in awe, seeing the scarf.

As he wrapped it around his neck, my mother said, "We each knitted a bit; Grandma Georgina, Grandma Josephine, and me."

"Here's something from me," I said, handing over the neatly wrapped parcel. I watched, smiling, as he eagerly opened it. A book fell into his hands, and when he brought the cover up to the light, it revealed picture of a chocolate palace in India. "_Mr. Wonka and the Indian Prince_," Charlie read.

I suddenly became self-conscious. "I know that it's a picture book, and you're too old for them, but I know how much you like his chocolate, and it's such an interesting tale-"

The rest of my explanation was cut off by Charlie grabbing me in a large hug. As I hugged him back, he looked up at me, beaming. "It's perfect. Thank you so much, Amie!"

I beamed at him and ruffled his golden hair, which was getting rather long again. I watched as Grandpa Joe stole Charlie's attention, presenting his and Grandpa George's gift. "I think I know what this is," Charlie said hopefully, ripping the paper off. "It is! A Wonka." He held it up, grinning.

"Open it, Charlie," Grandpa Joe said. "Let's see that Golden Ticket!"

I bit my lip, looking at my grandfather, listening to Charlie say, "Wouldn't that be fantastic?" Yes, it would be absolutely amazing to see my little brother get a ticket, but was raising his hopes like this really the way to go about it? My mother spoke up before I could.

"It's not fair to raise his hopes."

"Never mind," Grandpa Joe said, fixing his attention on his grandson. "Go on, open it, Charlie. I want to see that gold."

"Stop it, Dad," my mother scolded.

Charlie looked at her in concern. "I've got the same chance as anybody else, haven't I?"

"You've got more, Charlie, because you want it more," Grandpa Joe said before anyone else could respond. "Go on, open it!"

"Here it goes," Charlie said, turning his back to us. I heard the paper rip as he opened the bar, and then my heart jumped as he shouted, "I got it!"

I heard my grandparents exclaim in surprise from behind me, and I opened my mouth to voice my surprise and happiness, my heart beating wildly, but Charlie's miserable expression stopped me as he turned around again.

"Fooled you, didn't I?" he said softly. "You thought I really had it."

My heart ached at the expression on his face. "Yes, we did, because if anyone deserves one, it's you," I said to him. He looked up at me with uncertain eyes.

"You'll find one," Grandpa Joe agreed from behind me.

Charlie looked down at the chocolate bar. "Here, everybody have a bite."

As he held out a bit of chocolate to all of the grandparents, they all declined, and then our mother. He looked up at me, holding the piece of chocolate towards me. "Come on, Amie. I know you love them as much as I do."

I looked at the piece. It'd been so long since I'd had some, but I simply smiled and shook my head. "You enjoy your chocolate." He looked a bit put out, but ate the piece anyway. I ruffled his hair again. "Happy Birthday, Charlie."

* * *

"Bucket!"

A jolt of nervousness shot through me as the hard voice of my boss, Chaplin, rang through the air. I looked up from the envelope I was squinting at to see the large man striding towards me. My hands shaking slightly, I lowered the envelope.

_Please don't let him yell at me today..._

"Did you not get the memo I sent?" Chaplin demanded as soon as he came to stand in front of me.

I struggled to speak. "Memo, sir?"

His scowling face only made my heart sink more. "The Salt factory stopped asking for chocolate to be shipped to them. He phoned last night. He wants the nuts to be shipped again."

I froze. "I-I don't think I got that memo, sir..."

His voice raised even more. "_Didn't get the memo?!_ I had it put on your desk this morning, Bucket!"

I tried to swallow as I remembered a slip of paper on my desk, but I forgot to look at it before I started out in the warehouse. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't-"

"I've had enough of these mistakes, Bucket!" Chaplin yelled. "One more mistake, and you're out of here! Got it?"

I nodded, dropping his gaze to the ground, trying to keep my eyes clear. I would not cry in front of him. I wouldn't.

I heard him walk away and only when I was sure he was gone, I lifted my head again, taking in a shaky breath. _One more mistake? This was only my second one. The first one wasn't even big at all, I just forgot to send in the shipment order form at the end of the day. It was easily remedied. Why is he picking on me?!_

Mr. Payne, an older man who reminded me of Grandpa Joe, patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, dear," he said, as if hearing my thoughts. "He just hates the thought of having a girl work under him. He doesn't know how hard you work."

"I have to," I said, picking up the envelope again. "I have to help my family."

"Don't we all," Mr. Payne murmured, returning to the stack of mail he was sorting through.

* * *

**A/N**

Welcome back to Chapter 3! Thank you so much to my reviewers, **Dresupi, suburbantimewaster, SuperPsychoLove, Linkwonka88,** and **Flowerchild23**! I'm really glad that you all are liking the story so far.

I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as I can.

Please review!

~SirAvery


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.**

* * *

"The fourth golden ticket was just found," Charlie said to me as we walked through the streets. Charlie didn't have to do his paper route today, and I didn't have to go into the warehouse until later that day, so I usually came to pick him up from his school and walk home with him.

I gave him a searching look. His face was glum, and tufts of his golden hair was escaping from his hat. His red scarf that he got from his birthday was tied securely around his neck, and he stared straight ahead. "Oh? Who found it?"

"A boy from Arizona. Mike Teevee."

Charlie was feigning nonchalance, but I knew him better. I knew him better than I did the rest of my family. After our father died when Charlie was little, our mother worked long hours, trying to provide for us. I took over in taking care of Charlie while our mother was working because our grandparents were bedridden and weren't able to help out as much. As we grew older, I slowly let the mothering role go and became the older sister he needed. I got a job through high school to take the weight off of our mother's shoulders, letting her be home more to be spend time with us.

Charlie was best brother I could ask for, and I didn't mind having to mother him while our own mother worked long hours. A pang went through my heart as we walked through the streets. I wished my brother all the happiness in the world. He deserved it after everything he's been through.

Charlie stopped walking, and I turned around to see his mittened hands balled into fists and his teeth gnawing at his lip. "I just..." he began, but stopped, looking at the ground. "I want to find one. I want to have a Golden Ticket, and I want to tour Wonka's factory. I want something different for once, something that's special." He looked up and to his right, and with a start I realized that we were outside the gates to Wonka's factory.

"But four tickets have already been found," Charlie continued. "I want one really bad, but they're almost all gone!"

I stepped forward to stand in front of my younger brother, despair written over his face. "Charlie..." I swallowed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Charlie, I know that the odds are stacked against you. It's a huge world, and only one more ticket is floating around. I know that it's looking more and more likely that you won't find one. It's not guaranteed that you'll find a ticket. It'd take a miracle." I felt my heart breaking at the sad look on his face. "But you know what? If anyone deserves a Golden Ticket, it's you, Charlie Bucket."

He looked up at me. "Really?"

I nodded. "I can't think of anyone who should have one more. If I had any money to bet, I'd be placing it on you."

A small smile appeared on his face, and I smiled in return. "Come on," I said, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Let's go home. I know that you have homework to do." I spared one last look at Wonka's factory – imposing, grey, and impossibly far away from both of us – before turning on my heel and walking towards home.

My fingers brushed over a rectangular plastic wrapping in my coat pocket that Grandpa Joe surreptitiously asked me to buy, and I smiled to myself. Maybe there was a chance to keep hope alive.

* * *

When I walked through the front door of my house much later that night, I was exhausted. My feet ached, my eyes itched from tiredness, and every part of my body longed for my lumpy mattress. I couldn't wait to change and to fall into a dreamless sleep.

As I walked into the room and closed the door, I froze at the scene in front of me. Usually when I came home late, no one was awake. This was not the case tonight.

Grandpa Joe had his arms around Charlie, hugging him, and I could see Charlie trembling a bit. My eyes fell on the squares of chocolate still in the confines of the cheerful wrapper – without a speck of gold paper in sight.

My heart broke for my younger brother, and as I met Grandpa Joe's eyes over the top of Charlie's head, I could see the same hopelessness mirrored in his sorrowful gaze.

* * *

"Good night, Amie," Charlie said to me, two nights after the midnight chocolate bar disappointment. He hugged me briefly before trudging into his small room, adjacent to the one I shared with our mother. I watched him go, wanting so desperately to see him smile happily again and with the hope of a Golden Ticket, but as the end of the contest loomed nearer, his hope had slowly dwindled away.

I turned my attention back to the small television. The newsman was currently reporting on the weather for tomorrow – gloomy and grey – while my grandparents listened with rapt attention.

I lounged as much as I could on my uncomfortable straight backed wooden chair. I was aching with exhaustion, but I haven't been around my family as much, and I wanted to preserve another half hour of being in quiet company with them before I went to sleep.

Mum appeared in my vision, draping a thick quilt over me. She gave me a weary smile, the dark circles under her eyes more prominent these days. The hours at the laundry business was taking a toll on her. She smoothed strands of my thin brown hair out of my face, before gently kissing my forehead. I smiled at her as she walked over to perch on the edge of my grandparents bed, settling down to watch the news.

We were both taking on more hours than usual, and I knew that I had to find another job and soon. My job at the warehouse was getting steadily worse, with Chaplin criticizing me at every turn. I dreaded walking through those doors ever day, but I knew that if I didn't, we wouldn't be able to pay for the things we needed. My family's welfare was the most important thing to me. I needed to find another job to help take the weight off of my mother's shoulders, and to help her relax.

A half hour passed, and I was about to stand up and go to bed, when the anchorman on the television was handed a sheet of paper. He glanced at it for a split second before turning his attention back to the camera. "That's it, that's it!" he said loudly. "It's all over! The Wonka contest is all over! The fifth and final ticket has been found, and we've got a live report coming in directly now from Paraguay, South America."

The screen crackled, and a dark haired man replaced the anchorman. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said in a thick accent. "It is finished. The end has come. The fifth and last Golden Ticket has just been found right here in Paraguay. The finder is lucky Alberto Minoleta, the mulitmillionaire owner of gambling casinos throughtout South America." The reporter reached for a large picture of the man, and continued talking, but all I could hear was the buzzing in my ears.

There were no more Golden Tickets. No more for Charlie to find.

"Turn it off," Grandpa Joe said sourly, and I watched as my mother leaned forward, switching the dial until the screen went black. "Well," Grandpa Joe continued, "that's that. No more Golden Tickets."

"A lot of rubbish, the whole thing," Grandma Josephine said.

"Not to Charlie it wasn't," Grandpa Joe argued. "A little boy's got to have something in this world to hope for. What's he got to hope for now?"

"Who's going to tell him?" Grandma Georgina fretted, and my heart plummeted as I imagined the look on his face when he learned.

"Let's not wake him," my mother said. "He'll find out soon enough."

Grandpa Joe agreed. "Yeah, let him sleep. Let him have one last dream."

I said my goodnights to my family in a daze, the quilt still wrapped around my body. I walked towards the door to my room, but hesitated. It had only been over a half hour since Charlie went to sleep. Was he awake to hear that? The walls of the house were thin.

I tentatively pushed the door open, the light spilling in on the room and on Charlie's tearful face. When he saw me standing in the doorway, more tears spilled out. "Amie," he choked out.

I hurried forward and sat down next to him. He immediately sat up and wrapped his arms around me, his body wracking with sobs. I hugged him back, the tears that I had been holding back for a long time now escaping. In that moment, I wished that Willy Wonka had never sent out the tickets, and we had never heard of the contest.

Maybe then Charlie would be spared this painful disappointment, and a glimpse into the harsh reality of life.

* * *

**A/N**

I am so sorry about the wait! College has taken a crazy turn for the workload, and my entire spring vacation was spent at a friend's house. I still have an immersion paper for literary journalism to write, but I wanted to give you all an update instead.

So we're almost to where Amie will meet Willy Wonka! Just one more chapter, I think. My Easter break is later this week, and since I'm staying on campus (this is what I get for choosing a college far away from home), I will have plenty of time to write! I'll definitely try to have the next chapter up this weekend.

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! I love hearing what you have to say.

Please review!

~SirAvery


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory**

* * *

The wind was a bit chillier today as I trudged down the street. I shoved my hands into my pockets, my mind absently contemplating the weather. _It's the last day of September, and already pretty cold. I need to start saving up money to help heat the house for the winter. Charlie's gotten bigger since last year, Mum and I should check his winter clothes to make sure he hasn't outgrown them. We're going to need them for this winter._

I was shaken out of my reverie by the sign on Bill's candy store. They were selling Wonka bars again. Seeing the name on the sign made my heart sink uncomfortably, remembering Charlie's reaction to the last ticket being found.

"If there was ever a miracle to happen, it would be that the last ticket was a dupe," I murmured, turning away from the shop. "It would be that the last ticket is a fake and Charlie would find the real one." I gave a bitter laugh and crossed the street to the warehouse on the other side, directly across the candy store. "Wouldn't that be great."

I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves before I approached the door. I couldn't get bitter over this. I needed to keep being cheerful. I needed to keep morale up and help my family not to lose hope. I can do this.

With that, I opened the door to the employee's entrance and marched determinedly into the room.

My shift was passing at a snail's pace. Chaplin was in an especially foul mood today, probably over the last Golden Ticket being found. He hadn't said anything about it, but didn't everyone harbor a secret desire to find a ticket? Well, mostly everyone, I suppose. I wanted my brother to find one a thousand times more than I wanted to find one.

Mr. Payne took a break halfway through our shift to go across the street and grab a newspaper from his friend, Mr. Jopeck. It was the time of day that the newspapers would be coming out anyway, and Charlie would have just gotten out of school.

Chaplin had just entered the break room, his face a storm cloud. He began puttering around the coffee maker, and I grabbed an old magazine off the table to give me something to do to avoid awkward conversation with the man who caused a great deal of anxiety.

I had only just managed to read the first two lines of an article when Mr. Payne burst into the room. "Amie!" he said, yelling excitedly. Chaplin, a paper cup of weak coffee in his hand, had a shocked expression that was mirrored on my face. I had never seen the elderly man show such an outburst of emotion before.

"Mr. Payne, what is it?" I asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all is wrong!" The elderly man beamed and thrust the newspaper at me. "Look, look!" I barely caught a glimpse of the headline – FIFTH TICKET FRAUD – before he grabbed my shoulders.

"Mr. Payne-" I started, but he cut me off.

"Charlie! Your brother, Charlie! He found it! He found the last ticket!"

I froze, and my heart stopped. My jaw dropped open. "Charlie...?" Mr. Payne's beaming grin was suddenly infectious. "My younger brother found it? Charlie found the last Golden Ticket?!"

"Yes!" Mr. Payne bobbed his head up and down. "I saw it myself!"

I looked down at the newspaper. The fifth Golden Ticket was a fraud... Charlie found the real one... _Charlie found the last Golden Ticket._

A laugh escaped me, and I was grinning, smiling harder than I had in a long time. I jumped out of my seat and hugged Mr. Payne, still laughing. "He did it! Charlie found it! He did it!" I dashed to the back of the room and grabbed my coat off the hook.

"Stop!" Chaplin ordered. I had forgotten that he was still in the room. "You leave here now, Bucket, you're out of a job!"

The happiness spreading through me made me feel as light as a feather, and I threw all caution to the wind. "My brother just got the best news of his life! If leaving here to go celebrate it with him means I'm out of a job, then so be it!" Throwing one last goodbye over my shoulder to Mr. Payne, I dashed out of the room and left the building.

I raced through the streets, my unbuttoned coat flapping in the lazy gusts of wind. I probably looked like a madwoman, but I didn't care. Giddiness was sweeping through me, and I felt as though if I tried to fly, I would be able to. As I ran past Wonka's factory, I turned to look at it through the gates. Suddenly, it didn't seem so cold and far away.

I burst through the door of the house. "Charlie!"

My brother's grinning face seemed to light up even more at the sight of me. "Amie! Look!" He dashed forward and pressed the Golden Ticket into my hands. Breathing hard, I collapsed in a wooden chair, staring at the ticket in my hand. Was it really only a month ago that we had first heard of the contest? It seemed impossibly long ago, and here we are at the end of it, with Charlie finding a Golden Ticket.

"You did it," I said, recalling my earlier words._ If there was ever a miracle to happen, it would be that the last ticket was a dupe. It would be that the last ticket is a fake and Charlie would find the real one. _"You found it, Charlie." Tears sprang to my eyes and I leaned forward, grabbing my younger brother in a hug.

He pulled away after a second, looking at me. "Amie, I want you to come with me."

My eyes widened. "Come...with you? To the factory?"

Charlie nodded. "It says I can bring one person with me, and I want you to go."

I let out an astonished laugh. I would be able to see the factory as well? Meet Willy Wonka, the amazing chocolatier? "Charlie, I would be honored."

"It's set for the first of October, and that's tomorrow," Mum said, coming forward. "Amie, will you be able to get off from work this early?"

Trickles of guilt and slight horror began to worm its way through me as I realized what I had done. I had walked out and lost the only job I had. I was completely jobless now. How was I supposed to help my family now?

_Worry about that on October second. Don't let this ruin Charlie's special day._ I forced a smile that I hoped could be passed as nonchalant. "Don't worry about it. I'll be able to get it off." Charlie accepted it, but Mum's face shifted, and I knew that she guessed what I hadn't said. I sent her a look that said 'later', and turned to face my younger brother.

If anyone deserved a Golden Ticket, it was him.

* * *

"How long do you think it'll take him to fall asleep?" I asked, smiling slightly as Mum and I sat at the table. I was fixing a hole in my nice black pants, which I was planning on wearing tomorrow to the factory.

Mum chuckled. "Probably a while." The grandparents were already snoozing, and I looked over to where Grandpa Joe had his eyes closed. After the excitement had mostly settled down yesterday, he had retold all the old stories that we've heard so many times, and made us solemnly promise to tell him everything we could remember. In a way, I wish that he would be able to go to see the factory as well, but he had been bedridden for over twenty years, and it would take a miracle to get him up out of bed.

I set my pants down on the table, knowing that I had to tell Mum. "I lost my job today."

Her knitting needles slowed. "What happened?"

I shook my head, guilt sweeping through me. "I ran out once I heard Charlie got a Golden Ticket. I didn't think about the consequences, and I lost it."

"We'll manage," she said softly. "We always have." She looked down at her knitting before speaking again. "You're twenty-three years old, and already have so much on your shoulders. I can't stop thinking about how you could have graduated college by now, and be working in a nice job. You could be living your own life right now, could have found a husband by now."

I leaned forward and put my hand on top of her wrist. "Mum," I said gently. "We didn't have the money for college then, and we don't have it now. Even if I did get financial aid, I wasn't about to leave you to provide for the six of you by yourself." I smiled at her, trying to show her that I meant every word I was saying. "This family is the most important thing to me. I don't mind working the hours that I do if it means taking some of the weight off of your shoulders, and to help you all live somewhat comfortable lives. Who knows? Someday I might be able to go to college, to learn about music or science or literature."

I stood up from the table, gathering my pants up and walking over to the line to hang them up. "For now, though?" I turned and looked at her, grinning. "I'm going to Wonka's chocolate factory with my little brother, and we're both going to have the time of our lives. After that? I'll try Bill's Candy shop. He might need a helper in that store, with all those kids."

Mum stood up from the table and wrapped me in a hug. "You're so brave, Amie," she murmured. She backed up a bit and kissed the top of my head, smiling at me. "And you're as sweet as can be."

* * *

**A/N**

So Charlie found the Golden Ticket! Next chapter is where Amie meets Wonka himself!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to have the next chapter out as fast, but I'll do my best! I'm in the last month of the semester, so college work will get crazier. I'll try to write the next one soon! Reviews help, though. I love hearing any and all suggestions/comments!

Thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed, favorited, and followed my story!

Please review!

~SirAvery


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory**

* * *

Grandpa Joe's orders to remember every detail and our mother's beaming smile stayed in my mind as Charlie and I walked away from our ramshackle house. I pulled my father's worn brown coat more securely around my shoulders, my heart fluttering in excitement. "What do you think he'll be like?"

"Who? Mr. Wonka?" Charlie asked, looking up at me. His red scarf was tied loosely around his neck, and I paused him on the sidewalk.

"Yes, Willy Wonka," I said as I worked to retie his scarf. "I bet he's brilliant. He has to be, to come up with all the wonderful sweets!" With Charlie's scarf tied securely, I turned to keep walking, but paused when Charlie didn't move. "What is it?" I asked at seeing my younger brother's troubled look.

"I forgot to tell you yesterday," he said. "In all the excitement, I didn't get a chance."

"Tell me what?" Alarmed, I turned to stand fully in front of him. "Is everything alright?"

"After I found the ticket, when I was running home, I ran into Mr. Slugworth."

I froze. Whatever I had expected to hear, it wasn't that. "What did he want?"

"He wants something called an Everlasting Gobstopper," Charlie said, frowning. "He said that Willy Wonka are making those, and it'll ruin him if Wonka succeeds."

"He wants you to steal one," I guessed, pursing my lips. I had never liked Slugworth chocolates. The taste of cocoa powder was overwhelming, making the chocolate bar bitter. Wonka had the exact mixture to make his chocolate so rich and delicious. Remembering Grandpa Joe's stories about why Willy Wonka had closed his factory in the first place, I wasn't surprised that he would try to take advantage of the Golden Ticket winners.

"He said he'd give us money. Ten thousand, he said." Charlie's tone was marred with doubt and hesitance.

I looked behind my younger brother. Our ramshackle house was still in sight. I could imagine my mother moving around the room before settling in a chair with her knitting. I could imagine our four grandparents, Grandpa Joe in particular, staring eagerly at the TV screen, where the news would broadcast the winners at the factory gates. I could imagine them waiting in excitement to catch a glimpse of their grandchildren on screen, ready to enter a factory whose contents had only been guessed at in the wildest tales.

I looked back at my younger brother. "Charlie, I want you to do what you think is best. If you want to give a Gobstopper to Slugworth, then do it, but I want you to think about the consequences. I want you to think about what it would do to Mr. Wonka. Just remember Grandpa Joe's stories." At Charlie's worried face, I smiled gently at him and pulled him into a hug. "But no matter what you decide, I'll support you. I always will."

He hugged me back hard, before stepping back. "Come on, Amie," he said, a smile lighting up his face again until it glowed with excitement. "Let's go see Willy Wonka's factory."

* * *

I knew that Willy Wonka opening his factory gates to certain members of the public was a historical event, but I still was surprised at the amount of people that showed up outside the factory gates. I had been so used to seeing the gates empty and foreboding that the sea of people crowded outside the gates was almost overwhelming. I could hear a band playing a lively tune, and I saw news cameras with reporters standing in front of them. I wondered if our family could see us on TV.

Charlie and I were sitting with the other Golden Ticket winners, at the far right of the line. Directly next to us were Violet Beauregarde and her father, a smarmy-looking businessman. Further down the line, I recognized Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, and Mike Teevee, all with their parents. None of them had seemed particularly pleasant on TV, but I reminded myself not to pass judgment until I had met them.

Charlie was restless beside me, and I could hardly blame him. I craned my neck, eagerly watching the clock as the minute hand creeped closer and closer to the twelve. The tune that the band played was fairly simple, and I began tapping my foot along with the beat, humming the melody softly. "I miss being able to play with a band," I said to Charlie. "I haven't been able to play music since I was in high school."

"You should play again!" Charlie said. "I know you really loved it."

"Maybe I will," I said, smiling. If things got better for our family, then I would look into it. My smile widened. Even though touring Wonka's factory would only last a day, I had hopes that it was the beginning point of a lucky break for us. Maybe I would find better jobs. Maybe we would have more money, be able to afford more things. Maybe I would be able to do something that I liked, like being able to play music again.

"Amie?" Charlie said, and I looked down at him curiously. "I don't believe it," he said, an awed grin on his face. "We did it. We're actually going in!"

"The gates will be open for once," I said to him, beaming. "We'll be able to meet Grandpa Joe's hero!"

The clock struck ten, and as the chimes reverberated throughout the street, the crowd hushed and eagerly turned towards the factory, everyone's excitement heightening. My heart began pounding again as I stared at the doors, waiting for the mysterious chocolate maker to emerge.

One of the doors opened, and as soon as a figure dressed in purple walked out, the crowd began to cheer. Willy Wonka, the famous chocolatier, limped down the carpeted stairs, relying heavily on the cane in his right hand. The crowd's cheering began to die down as everyone seemed to notice the state of the chocolate maker. I glanced down at my brother, seeing his smile turn to a look of confusion. I couldn't help but feel concerned for Wonka. Was he in an accident? Did it hurt to walk?

As he made his slow progression down the red carpet, the ten of us that would be touring Wonka's factory stood up. I watched as Wonka took off his brown top hat, and then as his cane seemed to be stuck in a crack in the tiles, but he stepped forward without it. The crowd held their breath for a moment as Wonka teetered forward, and for one heart-stopping moment I thought he was going to fall on his face.

Instead he gracefully somersaulted forward and landed on his feet perfectly. The crowd cheered, and I let out a sigh of relief as I clapped. It had all been an act; he wasn't hurt at all.

As Wonka began speaking, the crowd's cheers died down. "Welcome my friends," he said, his voice warm. "Welcome to my chocolate factory." He motioned to us. "Would you come forward please?"

It was bedlam for a moment as Veruca and her father pushed their way to the front of the line with everyone scrambling after them. With Charlie's hand firmly grasping mine, we contented ourselves with the back of the line. As we hurried down the carpet with the crowds on either side, cheering faces met my eyes. As we passed a man in a black suit with his thumb up, Charlie twisted around. "That's Slugworth! That's the one I told you about!" I looked over my shoulder quickly to get another look, but he was swallowed by the crowd.

We reached the factory gates, and the crowd quieted again. "Welcome," he said, a slight smile on his face. "It's nice to have you here. I'm so glad you could come. This is going to be such an exciting day. I hope you enjoy it." He paused slightly, and made eye contact with me. I was suddenly aware of the large grin that I had on my face. "I think you will." Was he talking directly to me or was he still addressing everyone? He broke eye contact and immediately I felt silly for thinking that.

Veruca Salt introduced herself first, holding out her Golden Ticket. When she mentioned having three other mink coats at home, my eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn't imagine owning something that luxurious, let alone having four of them!

The line moved slowly with each child introducing themselves and their parents briefly. I could never picture what Willy Wonka looked like, but standing in front of him now, he looked like he belonged to the wild stories that Grandpa Joe always told us about him and his factory. His eyes were a startling blue, and his wispy hair stuck out at odd angles underneath his top hat.

Before I could register what was happening, Charlie had pulled me up in front of him, holding out his Golden Ticket. "Charlie Bucket."

"Well, well, Charlie Bucket," Willy Wonka said, collecting his ticket. "I read all about you in the papers. I'm so happy for you." He glanced up at me. "Who is this lovely young lady? Surely not your mother!"

_Lovely?_ I thought in surprise, but Charlie was already introducing me. "This is my older sister, Amie!"

I held my hand out for a handshake, but to my surprise he took my hand gently and brought it up to his lips, brushing a feather light kiss over the back of it. My eyes widened slightly, and I felt a blush rise to my cheeks. I forced words out of my mouth. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I am delighted to meet you," Wonka replied, a smile playing at his lips. He let go of my hand and turned slightly. "Are we ready? Yes!" He motioned to the guard, who closed the gate. "Good! In we go!" I watched as he strode forward and grabbed his cane, Veruca and her father following close behind in her effort to be first. I glanced up at the tall towers of the factory in front of us, growing closer and closer with each step my brother and I took. _We're inside the gates. We did it. We're going inside the factory!_

As we approached the door, it seemed to open of its own accord. Wonka stopped outside of it, allowing for Veruca to continue on inside, the rest of us trailing after her. Wonka nodded to each parent and child in front of us, and when Charlie and I passed he gave us a warm smile, his eyes lingering on me. I blushed slightly and looked away, stepping inside the factory and following my brother to the right, leaving crowd to cheer behind us in the distance.

We entered the entrance hallway, and Willy Wonka came striding up. "Now hats, coats, galoshes, over here. But hurry please! We have so much time and so little to see." He froze. "Wait a minute! Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you." He continued moving again, and I turned to the hands sticking out the wall, fighting back a grin.

"Boy, what weird looking coat hangers," Mike Teevee remarked as I removed my father's old coat.

As I held the coat up, the golden hand grabbed the collar. My heart jumped, and several others screamed. "Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous," Willy Wonka said, stressing the last part. "Don't be alarmed."

I looked at them, intrigued. How did he do that? Tentatively, I held my hand up to one of them, as if to shake it. To my surprise the golden hand grabbed my hand. Its touch was gentle; it felt like it was holding my hand. A laugh escaped me. "Thank you, but could I please have my hand back?" The hand slowly let go.

Grinning, I turned to face the others and caught sight of Wonka staring at me. His face was mostly composed, but I thought I could see a small smile. Before I debate whether or not there was a smile, he had turned to the group in front of him.

"Now. Will the children kindly step up here?" He pulled back a curtain to reveal an enormous contract. The top portion was in large font, but as the contract continued, the words became progressively smaller and smaller. Around me, the other adults were muttering along and making comments as they read the contract. My eyes skimmed over it, but I wasn't too surprised that he would make us sign one. No outsiders had been in this factory for years. I didn't blame him for wanting some legal protection.

"Violet?" Wonka said. "You first. Sign here." He pointed to a box with his cane.

"Hold it!" Mr. Beauregarde darted forward, pushing past some of the kids. "Violet, baby, don't you sign anything there. What's this about?" he addressed Wonka accusingly.

"Standard form of contract," Wonka replied mildly.

Mr. Beauregarde scoffed. "Don't talk to me about contracts, Wonka. I use 'em myself. They're strictly for suckers."

My initial thought of him was true. Smarmy, smooth-talking businessman.

To his credit, Wonka didn't seem put-off by Mr. Beauregarde. "Yes, but you wouldn't begrudge me a little protection. A drop." He mimed drop.

"I don't sign anything without my lawyer," Mr. Beauregarde retorted.

"My Veruca don't sign anything either," Mr. Salt piped in.

"Then she don't go in," Wonka fired back, imitating Mr. Salt's poor grammar. "I'm sorry, rules of the house."

Veruca didn't like the sound of that. "I want to go in. Don't you dare stop me."

I watched as Mr. Salt tried to soothe his daughter, but she shoved back before grabbing the pen out of Violet's hand. I was appalled at her attitude towards her father, and was beyond grateful at what a great child Charlie was. He would never speak to any of us like that.

Veruca and Violet signed their names, and when Mr. Beauregarde asked about the small print, Wonka replied, "Oh, if you have any problems, dial information, thank you for calling." I stifled a laugh. "Mike? Augustus?"

I watched as the two boys signed their names, Mike chatting about something he saw on TV. Augustus handed the pen to Charlie, who hesitated, looking back at me. "What about me, Amie?"

I grinned at him. "Go ahead, Charlie!" _It's not like we have anything to lose..._ Nonetheless, I trusted Wonka. I glanced up at him to see him staring at me. His gaze quickly switched to my brother, who was finishing on signing his name. Veruca was whining about waiting, and I tried to ignore her.

"Patience, patience, little dear," Wonka said. "Everything has to be in order. Everyone's signed?" He glanced at my brother, who was putting the pen back. "Yes. Good. On we go!" We eagerly followed him to a door, where he lifted the lock. "Ninety-nine..." he muttered. "Forty-four... One hundred percent pure." He pushed open the door and turned to flash a grin at us. "Just through the other door, please."

* * *

**A/N**

I am so sorry about the lateness of this chapter! The last month of college was absolutely crazy, but now I'm home for the summer and I can finally breathe. Expect more chapters soon, because I will finally have the elusive concept of free time! So in this chapter Amie finally meets Willy Wonka. What did everyone think of their meeting? Let me know!

Thank you to everyone that has left reviews! I'm really glad that all of you are enjoying the story so far. Let me know how you liked this chapter!

Please review!

-SirAvery


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory**

* * *

Veruca, unsurprisingly, was the first one to rush into the hallway, and also the first one to discover that it was a dead end. By this time, everyone was crowded into the tiny hallway and the door was closed behind us. As chaos ensued, and everyone was shouting and writhing around, I folded myself back into the corner by the door, wrapping my arms around myself, trying to stay as out of the way as possible. Charlie was separated from me by a snappish Mrs. Teevee, who was glaring around her with her pinched face and making sharp comments to anyone that came near here.

Wonka didn't seem to have a care in the world as he navigated through the crowd, tapping on the walls in a certain way. He made it around the room, and as he neared me, Mr. Salt yelled, "Now look here, Wonka!"

"Excuse me, question time will come at the end of the session," Wonka replied. I laughed quietly at his response from my corner. Wonka heard it, and his eyes flashed to me, taking in my huddled form in the corner. He continued talking to the group, looking away. "We must press on. Come along, come along." He reached the door we came through, standing right in front of me. "Ah, here we are!"

"Oh, don't be a darn fool, Wonka! That's the way we came in," Mr. Beauregarde snapped.

Wonka feigned innocent surprise. "It is? Are you sure?" he asked, glancing up at it.

"We've just come through there," Mr. Salt protested, what little hair he had in a fluffy mess.

"Huh. How do you like that?" Wonka murmured. He leaned against the door, and it opened. My eyes widened in disbelief as it opened up into a different hallway than the room we just vacated.

"_Wow_," I whispered, my eyes widening in amazement as Charlie joined my side again. I put my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly, seeing my amazement mirrored on his face.

Mr. Wonka started walking down the hallway, and I began to follow with Charlie. "What is this, Wonka?" Mr. Salt called. "Some kind of fun house?"

Wonka paused, turning around. "Why, having fun?" He glanced at us, seeing that we followed him into the hallway while the rest of the group still huddled in the strange dead end hallway.

"I've had enough. I'm not going in there," Mrs. Teevee said, and I could see the other adults agreeing with her.

"Come on, Violet," Mr. Beauregarde, said. "We're getting out of here." He began glancing around the hallway, trying to find another exit, but Wonka's voice made him pause.

"Oh, you can't get out backwards. You've gotta go forwards to go back." He grinned and started to walk forward again. "Better press on."

The rest of the group filed out of the hallway as we all followed Wonka down the hallway. I blinked when I saw him start to bend down, and Charlie voiced my thoughts. "Hey, the room is getting smaller!"

"No, it's not; he's getting bigger!" Mrs. Teevee contradicted. I furrowed my brow and glanced at her. We were all starting to bend over, clearly the room was getting smaller!

The group was mumbling crossly, and I could hear Mike complaining about the lack of chocolate. Mr. Salt seemed more nervous than annoyed, like Mr. Beauregarde was, as he voiced his doubts that we would get out of here alive.

Wonka, who was crouched by a small door, said, "Oh, you should never, never doubt what nobody is sure about." I grinned slightly, appreciating the rhyme.

Huddled down by Charlie, I tuned out the parents' objections to the door. I was grateful that I hadn't inherited my father's height. Augustus Gloop was next to me, smelling strongly of chocolate, and I wondered how much he had eaten before coming to the factory.

I looked up as Wonka began speaking. "My dear friends, you are now about to enter the nerve center of the entire Wonka Factory. Inside this room, all of my dreams become realities. And some of my realities become dreams." I perked up at that, excitement building in me. "And almost everything you will see is eatible. Edible. I mean, you can eat almost everything."

"Let me in, I'm starving!" Augustus piped up from beside me.

Wonka reached forward, his arm invading my personal space slightly as he patted Augustus's cheek. "Now don't get overexcited! Don't lose your head, Augustus! We wouldn't want anyone to lose that." He turned towards the door, adding, "Yet" over his shoulder. Charlie glanced at me wide-eyed, and I winked at him. He smiled, reassured.

"Now, the combination," Wonka said. "This is a musical lock," he added, as a small piano appeared from the door. My eyes widened as he played the opening notes.

"Mozart!" I exclaimed, speaking for the first time since we left the coat room. "From the 'Marriage of Figaro'!"

Wonka regarded me, surprise on his face, as Mrs. Teevee snapped, "That's Rachmaninoff, not Mozart."

Charlie looked at me in question, and I shook my head slightly, trying to ignore that Wonka was still looking at me.

He looked back at the door. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "boys and girls... The chocolate room."

The door was incredibly larger than I previously thought, and as usual Veruca was the first one out. We all followed her, and I slowed to a stop, my mouth falling open as I took in the room.

_Beautiful_, I thought, my eyes wandering over what looked like a beautiful candy meadow. I saw all manner of colorful giant mushrooms, candy bushes, pots filled with giant lollipops, and more. My gaze was drawn to the waterfall where a brown liquid poured over the side, making a river. _Is that...chocolate?!_

"Hold your breath," Wonka said softly, and in awe I looked up at him to see him staring out across the chocolate room, his blue eyes far away. "Make a wish."

_I wish that Grandpa Joe can see this factory as well._

"Count to three." To my surprise, Wonka took a breath and began to sing.

"_Come with me_

_And you'll be_

_In a world of pure imagination."_

We all started creeping closer to the edge of the stairs, Charlie and I in the back of the crowd, but Wonka whipped his cane around, stopping Veruca and Violet in their tracks as he continued singing.

"_Take a look_

_And you'll see_

_Into your imagination._"

He started down the stairs, doubling his steps back, and tentatively we all began to follow him. I was too busy staring out across the room in wonder that I almost smacked into Mrs. Teevee's back when she stopped to avoid Wonka whipping his cane.

"_We'll begin_

_With a spin_

_Traveling in the world of my creation_

_What we'll see will defy_

_Explanation._"

I nearly laughed when Veruca and Violet, who were shoving each other in an effort to be first, nearly got hit by his cane. Wonka looked at them, and they stopped their actions.

Wonka started down the stairs, always making sure to hop backwards on the steps. The people in front were wary about going in front of Wonka, their eyes on his cane. As we turned the corner, I found myself to the far left, at the front of the crowd with Charlie to my right. Wonka began to sing again, his cane stopping Veruca and Violet in their tracks.

"_If you want to view paradise_

_Simply look around and view it_."

He glanced to his left, and my heart jumped as we made eye contact. Once again, I was aware of the wide smile that I had on my face, and that my eyes were wide with wonder at the beautiful room in front of us. I saw a hint of a smile at the corner of Wonka's mouth as he looked at me, before he looked away and continued to sing.

"_Anything you want to, do it_

_Want to change the world?_"

I nearly laughed as he pulled some hairs out of Mike's head.

_"There's nothing to it._"

He went down the last part of the stairs, kicking his legs out as he went. At the bottom he paused us for a moment, before bringing his cane down and bowing slightly. Everyone immediately began to scatter, and Charlie grabbed my hand. "This way, Amie!" he cried, tugging me down one of the paths.

A bright laugh escaped me as we hurried on, past Wonka who had straightened up. I flashed a smile at him before Charlie pulled me to a candy cane tree. Distantly, I could hear Wonka continuing to sing his song as I pulled at some of the bark of the tree, sampling it. It was a very light and flaky chocolate, and absolutely delicious.

Charlie grabbed some large candy canes handed me the smaller one. I immediately swapped candy canes with him, and got the bigger one. When he realized what I did, he looked up. "Hey!" he protested, a grin on his face.

"Too bad!" I teased. We both laughed and I tried a bit of the candy cane, loving the flavor. He had somehow perfectly combined blue raspberry with peppermint.

Charlie took my hand again, and we continued to explore the chocolate room. We passed Veruca eating chocolate syrup out of a giant ball, and Mrs. Teevee, eating the white frosting off of a mushroom. I grabbed a marshmallow lollipop and took a bite. It was perfectly gooey, and I passed it off to Charlie, who eagerly finished it.

Charlie veered off to the right, but I continued walking down the path, admiring the room. I paused to take in the chocolate waterfall, my grin becoming larger. _No wonder his chocolate tastes so good! The waterfall is sure to mix it well enough!_

"How do you like my factory so far?"

I nearly jumped a foot in the air, turning around in surprise to see Wonka sitting amongst tea cup bushes. He smiled slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's fine," I said, laughing slightly at myself. "Your factory is amazing so far. This room is incredible!" I looked away from his bright blue gaze to glance around the room again. "I love that you mix your chocolate by waterfall. It's no wonder that your chocolate turns out delicious!"

A pleased smile crossed his face. "I'm happy that you caught that. This is the only factory is the world that mixes their chocolate that way."

"I doubt that other factories have an edible room as well," I said, laughing. "I'm so glad that we're able to come. This is definitely worth losing my job over." As soon as the words left my mouth, I froze. _Oh, no, why did I just say that?! _I blushed, highly embarrassed as I mumbled something about seeing what Charlie was up to, and quickly hurried away, managing to avoid seeing his reaction.

I joined Charlie as he grabbed a balloon-like lollipop that was larger than his face. "Try it, it tastes like a banana!" he said, grinning.

Trying to take my mind off of my careless words, I looked fully at Charlie and took the outstretched lollipop and tried it. "This tastes like an apple for me," I said, surprised.

"Really?" Charlie tried it again. "Hey! Now it's a pear!"

"What a disgusting, dirty river," I heard Mrs. Gloop say in distaste. I looked up, surprised. Did the others not realize it was chocolate?

"It's industrial waste, that," Mr. Salt said, coming to stand next to the river. "You've ruined your watershed, Wonka. It's polluted."

"It's chocolate," Wonka corrected. By this time, we were all standing next to the river.

"That's chocolate?" Veruca asked in disbelief.

"That's chocolate," Charlie breathed, an awed grin on his face. I squeezed his shoulder, smiling slightly.

"Ten thousand gallons an hour," Wonka said proudly. "And look at my waterfall. That's the most important thing. It's mixing my chocolate. It's actually churning my chocolate. You know, no other factory in the world mixes its chocolate by waterfall." He glanced at me suddenly and winked. I blushed, glad he had seemed to overlook my careless comment, and watched as he turned to Mr. Salt to say, "But it's the only way if you want it just right..."

Charlie tugged on my arm. "Amie, look over there across the river! They're little men!"

"What?" I asked in confusion, looking up in confusion. My eyes widened when I saw little orange men with bright green hair cheerfully working by the riverside. I heard the others gasping over them as I said to Charlie, "Now we know who's helping Mr. Wonka with the chocolate!"

"What are they doing there?" Mrs. Teevee asked in surprise.

"It must be creaming and sugaring time," Wonka said.

"Well, they can't be real people," Violet said, grimacing.

"Well, of course they're real people," Wonka replied.

Mr. Salt snorted. "Stuff and nonsense."

"No, Oompa Loompas."

Everyone repeated that, and we all turned to face Wonka in surprise. "From Loompaland," he clarified.

"Where's that?" I asked, fascinated, but Mrs. Teevee quickly added her two cence.

"Loompaland? There's no such place."

Wonka didn't like that much. "Excuse me, dear lady-"

"Mr. Wonka," Mrs. Teevee interrupted, "I am a teacher of geography."

"Oh, well then you know all about it and what a terrible country it is," Wonka fired back. I giggled slightly at Mrs. Teevee's sour face as Wonka continued. "Nothing but desolate wastes and fierce beasts. And the poor Oompa Loompas were so small and helpless, they would get gobbled up right and left. A Wangdoodle would eat ten of them for breakfast and think nothing of it."

I bit my lip as I looked back at the Oompa Loompas working behind us. They had to live there?

"And so I said, 'Come and live with me in peace and safety, away from all the Wangdoodles and Hornswogglers and Snozzwangers and rotten Vermicious Knids."

My respect for Wonka had risen, but the others in the group didn't feel the same. "Snozzwangers?" Mr. Salt questioned. "Vermicious Knids? What kind of rubbish is that?"

"I'm sorry, but all questions must be submitted in writing," Wonka said, not looking at him. I looked down, fighting a large grin, but looked up as Wonka continued his story. "And so, in the greatest of secrecy I transported the entire population of Oompa Loompas to my factory here."

"Hey, Daddy," Veruca piped up. "I want an Oompa Loompa. I want you to get me an Oompa Loompa right away!"

I looked at her in disbelief. They were people, not pets. They were working for Wonka, they weren't owned by him!

"Alright, Veruca, alright," Mr. Salt gave in. "I'll get you one before the day is out."

"But I want an Oompa Loompa now!" Veruca whined.

"Can it, you nit!" Violet snapped at her.

I shook my head at them, but turned in surprise when I heard Augustus say, "Mmmm... this stuff is terrific." I paused, seeing him by the side of the chocolate river, scooping the liquid up to his mouth to drink.

Mrs. Gloop hurried towards him. "Augustus, sweetheart, save some room for later."

Wonka's panicked voice made me look back. "Oh, uh, Augustus, please, don't do that. My chocolate must never be touched by human hands." He was fighting to make his way through the group, and I quickly stepped to the side to be out of his way. "Plea- Don't do that! Don't do that, you're contaminating my entire river!" He was nearly to the German boy, but just as he reached him, Augustus had bent over a little too far and fell in with a yell.

I surged forward, my heart jumping, but there wasn't anything I could do. I couldn't swim very well, and I didn't want to harm Wonka's chocolate even further by touching it.

The man in question was in distress. "My chocolate! My beautiful chocolate!"

"Don't just stand there; do something!" Mrs. Gloop cried, hearing her son call for help.

Wonka paused, staring at her. "Help," he said in monotone. "Police. Murder."

Charlie leaned forward, still holding the balloon lollipop from earlier. "Quick, Augustus, grab this!"

Augustus tried to grab the lollipop but his fingers slid off, and he disappeared below the chocolate.

"What's happening to him?" Mrs. Teevee asked.

"It looks like he's drowning," Mr. Salt muttered.

"Dive in!" Mrs. Gloop said in distress. "Save him!"

"Oh, it's too late," Wonka said, eerily calm.

"Too late?" Mrs. Gloop repeated in disbelief.

Wonka glanced at her. "Oh, he's had it now. The suction's got him."

"What suction?" Mr. Salt asked.

"Augustus, come back," Mrs. Gloop called in distress to the river. "Where is he?"

"Watch the pipe," Wonka said, motioning to the clear pipe in the middle of the river.

I heard the others still talking around me as I looked down to my younger brother. His face was distressed, and he was still holding the lollipop. I squeezed his shoulders reassuringly. I didn't want him to think this was his fault.

"He's stuck in the pipe there, isn't he, Wonka?" I heard Mr. Salt say, and I looked up in surprise to see Augustus in the pipe. "It's his stomach that's done that," Salt continued.

Distantly, I could hear Augustus calling for help in distress.

"He's blocking all the chocolate," Veruca noticed in surprise.

I looked at Wonka. "How are you going to get him out?" I asked in concern.

He glanced over at me, slightly surprised. "Oh, the pressure'll get him out. Terrific pressure is building up behind the blockage."

I blinked, staring at him. "This is the first time this has happened, right?"

Wonka opened his mouth to answer, thought better of it, and turned away. As the others continued to talk about Augustus's plight, I heard Wonka say, "The suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last."

The others continued to fret as I turned over Wonka's explanation in my mind. Grandpa Joe's explanation about shooting a gun came to my mind just as Augustus shot up the pipe.

"He's gone!" Mrs. Gloop cried. "He'll be made into marshmallows in five seconds!"

"Impossible, my dear lady, that's absurd!" Wonka cried. "Unthinkable!"

"Why?" Mrs. Gloop demanded.

Wonka stared at her. "Because that pipe doesn't go to the marshmallow room. It goes to the fudge room."

Mrs. Gloop began to insult him, but Wonka turned away and played a quick tune on a pipe whistle. I grinned slightly at his skill. Could he play any other instruments?

An Oompa Loompa came to stand in front of Wonka, and he began to give instructions about finding Augustus.

"You've boiled him up, I know it!" Mrs. Gloop shouted as the Oompa Loompa took her hand and started to lead her away.

"Nihil desperandum, dear lady," Wonka called after her. "Across the desert lies the promised land. Goodbye, Mrs. Gloop. Adieu! Auf wiedersehen! Gesundheit. Farewell."

I was torn between the desire to laugh at Wonka's antics or express my horror over the situation, but to my surprise, I heard the Oompa Loompas begin to sing.

_"Oompa Loompa doompadee do_

_I've got a perfect puzzle for you_

_Oompa Loompa, doompadah dee_

_If you are wise you'll listen to me._

_What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?_

_Eating as much as an elephant eats._

_What are you at getting terribly fat?_

_What do you think will come of that?_

_I don't like the look of it."_

I inched closer to the river, grinning at the Oompa Loompas' performance. My foot tapped along to the beat, loving the melody.

"_Oompa Loompa doompadee dah_

_If you're not greedy you will go far_

_You will live in happiness too_

_Like the Oompa Loompa doompadee do!_"

The last Oompa Loompa disappeared through the door, which closed behind them. As Mr. Salt expressed his annoyance over the factory again, I looked down at my brother. "That was a great song! They can all sing really well."

I glanced up to see Wonka smiling at my comment before he turned away. He began to speak in fluent French, and I only caught two words I recognized – 'voyage' and 'boat'. He asked a question in French, spreading his hand out. I turned, and my eyes widened as I saw a beautiful boat floating down the river.

_This is the most incredible day I've ever had_.

* * *

**A/N**

First off, I'm so sorry about the lateness of this chapter! I really have no excuse this time, so sorry again. But here's a longer chapter to try to make up for my absence!

Quick question: How does everyone feel about Amie? I'm trying to make her seem pretty natural, so please give me feedback about her character so I can improve her in later chapters.

A huge thank you to all of my reviewers! I'm really happy that you all are liking the story so far. Also, thank you to everyone that has favorited and followed (over a hundred followers now!).

Next chapter is my favorite part of the movie: the boat ride! I'll try to have the next one out soon.

Please review!

-SirAvery


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